Work-trucks for garment factories



Dec. 20, 1955 I. F. WEBB 2,727,754

womqavcxs FOR GARMENT FACTORIES Filed Feb. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gm W INVENTOR.

12 BY Irving Webb ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1955 1. F. WEBB 2,727,754

WORK-TRUCKS FOR GARMENT FACTORIES Filed Feb. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15 "i\*'\i lwmw 3/) w Wa HUI] In lulu. A. i: H W

"ll| 1|| l| H" H im. I." A L" 2 8 -JZ 19" W W w 1 W \Y v 0 1 Z9 M 1 g7 14 I {Ii H|l|ll|im,.... 2? u Z6 INVENTOR.

By Irving E Webb WITNESS= WWW-a WW ATTORNEY United States Patent O WORK-TRUCKS FOR GARMENT FACTORIES Irving F. Webb, Westfield, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 14, 1952, Serial No. 271,452

1 Claim. (Cl. 280-79.2)

The present invention relates to a work-truck such as used in a garment factory and has for a primary object to provide an improved truck for transporting the work between sewing stations.

In the manufacture of finished garments or other stitched articles, the usual procedure is to pass the work from one sewing station to the next, and at each station, a specific operation is performed by an operator using a specialized machine. To secure the most efiicient flow of goods, the system of handling and the consequent layout of the machines must be such as to reduce handling to a minimum. Several systems have been employed, including the bundle method, the straight-line method, and the truck method.

The truck method as the name implies, involves the use of a truck in transporting the goods from one sewing station to the next. Thus, each operator receives a quantity of the goods on a truck from the previous station and upon performing the specific intended operation, the goods is replaced on the truck or a different truck, which is then moved to the next station. The present invention relates to a truck that is to be used in this method.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a work-truck that is adapted to carry a greater variety of articles in an efficient manner than has heretofore been the case.

Having in mind these and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art to readily understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a work-truck for use in a garment factory and constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially through the center of the work-truck shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but with the tray shown partly withdrawn from a different position, and with the tray also shown in phantom in two other positions.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary transverse sections of one of the upper corners of the work-truck of Fig. l, and showing the tray in difierent positions.

As seen in the drawings, the truck that has been selected to illustrate the invention comprises a box-like body portion preferably made of wood and having two identical base members consisting of flat boards which are rectangular except for a pair of cut-away portions 11 that are located in the corners along one of the long edges of each. The base members 10 are arranged so that the outer edges thereof define a substantially square area with the cut-away portions at the corners of the square area. Each of the cut-away portions 11 are dimensioned to receive a corner member 12 which is fitted therein. The corner members 12 rise from the base members 10 substantially at a right angle, and the lower 2,727,754 latented Dec. 20, 1955 the base members.

The base members and corner members are held in spaced apart relation by upper side pieces 13, lower side pieces 14 and intermediate side pieces orcross-braces 15. To complete the box-like structure of the body portion of the truck, there are provided upper end pieces 16 and lower end pieces 17. The upper edges of the side pieces 13 and end pieces 16 are made to lie in the plane defined by the upper ends of the corner members 12, and

the lower edges of the side pieces 14 and end pieces 17 are made to lie in the plane defined by the lower ends of the corner members 12 and the lower surface of the base members 10. The ends of the side pieces 13 and 14 are extended beyond the corner members 12 a distance equal to the thickness of the end pieces 16 and 17 to overlie the ends thereof.

The above noted structure is preferably secured in the desired relationship by screws including the screws 19, 20 and 21 which secure the side pieces 14, 13 and crossbraces 15, respectively, to the edges of the corner members 12; the screws 22 and 23 which secure the end. pieces 16 and 17 respectively to faces of the corner members 12; and the screws 24 and 25 which secure, respectively, the side pieces 14 to the end of the base members 10, and the end piece 17 to the side edge of the base mem bers 10.

The box-like body member of the truck is mounted upon casters 26 secured to the bottom of the base members 10 as by bolts and nuts 27.

A tray 28 is provided that comprises side members '29 and a panel member 30 which is secured to the side The tray 28 is members near the one edge thereof. dimensioned to seat very closely within the area defined by the inner faces and the outer edges of the corner members 12. Spacers 31 are secured by screws 32 to the end pieces 16 flush with the upper edges thereof and extending between the inner edges of the corner members 10 to fill the resulting gap. Ledge pieces 33 and 34 are secured by screws 35 and 36 to the side piece 13 and cross-brace 15, respectively, flush with the bottom edges thereof, to provide supports for the tray.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the tray 28 is adapted to be placed at three different levels upon the body portion of the truck, two of which positions are shown in phantom, i. e., supported upon the ledges 33 and 34. The tray is also adapted to be supported upon the base members 10. As seen in Fig. 3, the tray is made to slide into the selected position between the inner faces of the-corner members 12 like a drawer. Consequently, the vertical spacing between the side pieces is governed by the height of the side members of the tray.

It will also be noted that the tray is completely confined against both endwise and lateral movement by the corner members and side pieces which, of course, produces a very useful device in that the tendency for the tray to slide oh: the truck has been eliminated, but still retaining the advantageous feature of having a readily .removable tray that can be moved to an adjusted position.

upper edges of the side members 30 are flush with the upper edges of the side pieces 13 and end pieces 16. The panel member 30 is secured to the side members 29 near the one end so that it lies in a plane only slightly below the upper edge of the side members 29 when in the inverted position as seen in Fig. 5.

In operation, the truck constructed according to the present invention is adapted to carry efiiciently a plurality of articles. The articles are draped over the upper side pieces 13 and end pieces 16. To reduce the likelihood that the articles so draped over the upper pieces of the frame of the work-truck do not slide oif'the truck, the greater portion of the garment is placed inwardly of the frame. Thus, any tendency of the garment to slide off the upper. pieces of the frame will be directed inwardly of the frame and onto the tray since the tray is positioned at the appropriate elevation within the frame. Small articles such as pockets, etc. can be laid in the tray While in its uppermost position and other articles such as completed garments can be stacked on the table-like upper surface. Since the truckconstructed in accordance with the present invention is specifically designed for use in a sewing mill, it is essential that the truck be so dimensioned as to provide convenient access to the articles carried thereby for an operator seated at a sewing machine. Therefore, the overall height of the machine should be approximately 25 /2 inches, which appears to be the optimum, although this dimension may be varied a few inches depending upon individual preferences or peculiar circumstances. The truck should also be substantially square and approximately 24" on the edges although the truck herein illustrated is 23" x 24 /2 overall dimension. A truck of this size has been found to be the most convenient for use in a sewing mill.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

A work-truck for use in a sewing mill comprising a body portion mounted upon casters and formed of planar elements including four vertically disposed corner members. arranged to define an area rectangular in horizontal cross-section and a plurality of horizontally arranged end pieces and side pieces connecting said corner members together, at least some of said side pieces being arranged in a plurality of horizontally opposed pairs, a ledge secured to the inner surface and below the uppermost edges of each of the side pieces of at least some of the opposed pairs, a tray comprising four vertical side members and a horizontal panel member secured to said side members adjacent one of the edges thereof, said tray being adapted to be supported upon the ledges of a selected one of the opposed pairs of side pieces, said tray being confined against lateral movement by the inner surfaces of the side pieces between the ledges and the upper edges thereof, said side members being at least as high as the distance between the upper edges of the uppermost pair of opposed side pieces and the upper edges of the ledges secured thereto whereby said tray may be inverted to form a table-like upper surface for said truck, said corner members being arranged to extend inwardly from the inner surface of the side pieces adjacent the corners thereof whereby the inner surface of the corner members will serve as means for confining the tray against endwise movement, said side pieces being spaced apart vertically a distance at least as great as the height of the side members of the tray and said corner member connected by each series of vertically arranged side members being spaced apart a distance at least as great as the overall width of the tray, whereby the tray may be inserted therethrough into position on the ledges on the lowermost or an intermediate pair of opposed side pieces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,491 Wiselogel May 30, 1911 1,562,089 Holley Nov. 17, 1925 1,952,568 Schapp et al Mar. 27, 1934 OTHER REFERENCES H. Zering Mfg. Co., Catalog No. 9, of 1908: Figs. 915 and 920, Pp. -76. (Copy in 28047.35x.)

H. Zering Mfg. Co., Catalog No. 9, of 1908: Fig. 1000, pg. 122. (Copy in 280-47.35uxr.) 

